Wolof

20 Wolof phrases for greetings and everyday courtesy, from Hello (Na nga def) to Do you speak English? (Dégg nga Angale?).

Hello

Na nga def, pronounced na nga DEF

Good morning

Jàmm nga fanaan, pronounced jam nga fa-NAN

Good evening

Jàmm nga nyaar, pronounced jam nga NYAR

Good night

Fanaanal ak jàmm, pronounced fa-na-NAL ak JAM

How are you?

Na nga def?, pronounced na nga DEF

I'm fine, thank you

Maa ngi fi rekk, jërejëf, pronounced ma ngi fi REK je-re-JEF

What is your name?

Ñaata la tudd?, pronounced NYA-ta la TUD

My name is...

Mangi tudd..., pronounced man-gi TUD...

Nice to meet you

Bëgg naa la gis, pronounced beg na la GIS

Please

Bàyyil ma, pronounced bay-YIL ma

Thank you

Jërejëf, pronounced je-re-JEF

You're welcome

Amul solo, pronounced a-MUL SO-lo

Yes

Waaw, pronounced WAW

No

Déedéet, pronounced de-DET

Sorry

Baal ma, pronounced BAL ma

Excuse me

Baal ma, pronounced BAL ma

Goodbye

Ba beneen yoon, pronounced ba be-NEN YON

See you later

Ba ci kanam, pronounced ba si KA-nam

I don't understand

Dégguma, pronounced deg-GU-ma

Do you speak English?

Dégg nga Angale?, pronounced DEG nga an-GA-le

20 Wolof phrases for getting around, from Where is the airport? (Faŋ la aéroport nekk?) to Police station (Commissariat).

Where is the airport?

Faŋ la aéroport nekk?, pronounced fang la ae-ro-PORT NEK

How much does this cost?

Ñaata lay jar?, pronounced NYA-ta lay JAR

I need a taxi

Dama soxor taxi, pronounced da-ma so-XOR TAK-si

Where is the hotel?

Faŋ la hôtel nekk?, pronounced fang la ho-TEL NEK

I have a reservation

Am naa réservation, pronounced am na re-zer-va-SYON

Train station

Gare bu tëgg, pronounced GAR bu TEG

Bus stop

Bana bana bu autobus, pronounced ba-na BA-na bu o-to-BUS

Ticket

Biye, pronounced bi-YE

Passport

Passeport, pronounced pas-PORT

Help!

Dëggël ma!, pronounced deg-GEL ma

I'm lost

Muusum ma yoon, pronounced mu-SUM ma YON

Turn left

Dëkkal ci kanam ci càmm, pronounced dek-KAL si ka-NAM si CAM

Turn right

Dëkkal ci kanam ci ndey, pronounced dek-KAL si ka-NAM si NDEY

Straight ahead

Dem yëgël ci kanam, pronounced dem ye-GEL si ka-NAM

How far is it?

Ñaata la ci kanam?, pronounced NYA-ta la si ka-NAM

Museum

Musée, pronounced mu-ZE

Beach

Gox u géej, pronounced gox u GEZH

Hospital

Spital, pronounced spi-TAL

Pharmacy

Farmaasi, pronounced far-MA-si

Police station

Commissariat, pronounced ko-mi-sa-RYA

20 Wolof phrases for eating and drinking, from I'm hungry (Dama xiif) to Dessert (Dessert).

I'm hungry

Dama xiif, pronounced da-ma XIIF

I'm thirsty

Dama mar, pronounced da-ma MAR

The menu, please

Menu bi, bàyyil ma, pronounced ME-nu bi bay-YIL ma

Water

Ndox, pronounced NDOX

Coffee

Café, pronounced ka-FE

Bread

Mburu, pronounced mbu-RU

Meat

Yàpp, pronounced YAP

Vegetarian

Dafa bëgg lekk yàpp te, pronounced da-FA beg LEK YAP te

Delicious

Neex na lool, pronounced nex na LOL

The bill, please

Addition bi, bàyyil ma, pronounced a-di-SYON bi bay-YIL ma

I am allergic to...

Am naa allergie ci..., pronounced am na a-ler-ZHI si...

No sugar

Sucre amul, pronounced SUK-re a-MUL

Breakfast

Lekk bu njëkk, pronounced LEK bu NJEK

Lunch

Lekk bu teel, pronounced LEK bu TEL

Dinner

Lekk bu guddi, pronounced LEK bu GUD-di

Restaurant

Restaurant, pronounced res-to-RANT

Table for two

Taabël bu ñaar, pronounced ta-BEL bu NYAR

Beer

Bière, pronounced BYER

Wine

Vin, pronounced VAN

Dessert

Dessert, pronounced de-SERT

15 Wolof phrases for emergencies and health, from Help! (Dëggël ma!) to I'm sick (Dama feebar).

Help!

Dëggël ma!, pronounced deg-GEL ma

Call the police!

Wollu police bi!, pronounced WOL-lu po-LIS bi

I need a doctor

Dama soxor doktoor, pronounced da-ma so-XOR dok-TOR

Fire!

Safara!, pronounced sa-FA-ra

Ambulance

Ambulance, pronounced am-bu-LANS

I've been robbed

Dañu ma jaaxal, pronounced da-nyu ma ja-XAL

I'm injured

Dama yagg, pronounced da-ma YAG

Emergency

Jiite, pronounced ji-ITE

Where is the hospital?

Faŋ la spital nekk?, pronounced fang la spi-TAL NEK

Lost passport

Passeport bu làkk, pronounced pas-PORT bu LAK

I need help

Dama soxor ndimbal, pronounced da-ma so-XOR ndim-BAL

Danger

Xam-xam bu bon, pronounced xam-XAM bu BON

Stop!

Sëtu!, pronounced SE-tu

Thief!

Ñakk!, pronounced NYAK

I'm sick

Dama feebar, pronounced da-ma fe-BAR

14 Wolof phrases for work and money, from Good morning (Jàmm nga fanaan) to Thank you for your time (Jërejëf ci sa yoon).

Good morning

Jàmm nga fanaan, pronounced jam nga fa-NAN

I have a meeting

Am naa réunion, pronounced am na re-u-NYON

Business card

Carte bu liggéey, pronounced KART bu li-GEY

What is your email?

Lan la email bi?, pronounced LAN la E-mail bi

I work for...

Dama liggéey ci..., pronounced da-ma li-GEY si...

Manager

Directeur, pronounced di-rek-TER

Meeting

Réunion, pronounced re-u-NYON

Office

Bureau, pronounced bu-RO

Budget

Budget, pronounced bud-ZHE

Invoice

Facture, pronounced fak-TUR

Contract

Contrat, pronounced kon-TRA

Deadline

Date limite, pronounced DAT li-MIT

Partnership

Partenariat, pronounced par-te-na-RYA

Thank you for your time

Jërejëf ci sa yoon, pronounced je-re-JEF si sa YON

20 Wolof phrases for numbers, days and time, from One (Benn) to Friday (Àjjuma).

One

Benn, pronounced BEN

Two

Ñaar, pronounced NYAR

Three

Ñett, pronounced NYET

Four

Ñeent, pronounced NYENT

Five

Juróom, pronounced ju-ROM

Six

Juróom benn, pronounced ju-ROM BEN

Seven

Juróom ñaar, pronounced ju-ROM NYAR

Eight

Juróom ñett, pronounced ju-ROM NYET

Nine

Juróom ñeent, pronounced ju-ROM NYENT

Ten

Fukk, pronounced FUK

Twenty

Ñaar fukk, pronounced NYAR FUK

Fifty

Juróom fukk, pronounced ju-ROM FUK

One hundred

Téeméer, pronounced te-MER

One thousand

Junni, pronounced JUN-ni

What time is it?

Waati bu fan la?, pronounced wa-TI bu FAN la

Today

Tey, pronounced TEY

Tomorrow

Séy, pronounced SEY

Yesterday

Démb, pronounced DEMB

Monday

Altine, pronounced al-TI-ne

Friday

Àjjuma, pronounced a-JU-ma

house

ker, pronounced ker

water

ndox, pronounced NDOX

bread

mburu, pronounced mbu-RU

time

yoon wi, pronounced yoon wi

person

nit, pronounced nit

day

bés, pronounced bes

road / way

yoon, pronounced yoon

work

liggéey, pronounced lig-GEY

money

xaalis, pronounced kha-LIS

city / place

dëkk, pronounced dekk

school

daara, pronounced da-RA

book

téere, pronounced te-RE

name

tur, pronounced tur

child

xale, pronounced kha-LE

friend

xarit, pronounced kha-RIT

food

lekk, pronounced lekk

language

làkk, pronounced lakk

earth / land

dëkk bu tànk, pronounced dekk bu tank

hand

loxo, pronounced lo-KHO

dog

xaj, pronounced khaj

to be

nekk, pronounced nekk

to go

dem, pronounced dem

to come

ñëw, pronounced nyew

to speak

wax, pronounced wakh

to eat

lekk, pronounced lekk

to drink

nan, pronounced nan

to see

gis, pronounced gis

to know

xam, pronounced kham

to want / love

bëgg, pronounced begg

to give

may, pronounced mai

to take

jël, pronounced jel

to do

def, pronounced def

to think / wait

xaar, pronounced khaar

to live

dëkk, pronounced dekk

to read / study

jàng, pronounced jang

to write

bind, pronounced bind

to work

liggéey, pronounced lig-GEY

to help

dëgël, pronounced de-GEL

to find / look

seet, pronounced seet

to hold / follow

top, pronounced top

good

baax, pronounced baakh

bad

bon, pronounced bon

big

rëy, pronounced rey

small

tuuti, pronounced tuu-TI

new

bees, pronounced bees

old / big

mag, pronounced mag

beautiful

rafet, pronounced ra-FET

fast

jege, pronounced je-GE

slow

set set, pronounced set set

long / tall

góor, pronounced goor

short

gidd, pronounced gidd

warm / hot

tang, pronounced tang

cold

set, pronounced set

strong

dëgël, pronounced de-GEL

easy

yomb, pronounced yomb

difficult

dëgël bu xóot, pronounced de-GEL bu khoot

important

dëgg, pronounced degg

interesting

rafet, pronounced ra-FET

happy

dëgërul, pronounced de-ge-RUL

expensive

seer, pronounced seer

now

kanam, pronounced ka-NAM

today

tey, pronounced TEY

tomorrow

suba, pronounced SU-ba

yesterday

démb, pronounced DEMB

here

fii, pronounced fii

there

fale, pronounced fa-LE

quickly

jege, pronounced je-GE

slowly

set set, pronounced set set

well

baax na, pronounced baakh na

very / a lot

lool, pronounced lool

also / too

itam, pronounced i-TAM

no / not

deedéet, pronounced dee-DEET

yes

waaw, pronounced WAW

already

dëgg, pronounced degg

still / yet

nópp, pronounced nopp

only / just

rekk, pronounced rekk

really

dëgg dëgg, pronounced degg degg

a lot

lool, pronounced lool

a little

tuuti, pronounced tuu-TI

immediately

léegi léegi, pronounced lee-GI lee-GI